Traveling handbag or case



Filed May 6, 1936 INVENTOR Jul-In Jay P ATTORNEY Patented May 24, 1938 TRAVELING HANDBAG or. CASE John Jay Murphy, St. Albans, N. Y., assignor of one-half to William B. Terry, Hillsdale, N. J.

Application May 6, 1936, Serial No. 78,115

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a traveling handbag or case, and more particularly of the type known as an overnight bag.

One object of this invention is to provide a light portable bag or case of this type, comprising an inner unit complete with a handle and separate storage compartments in the form of drawers or the like and adapted to be so accommodated within an outer shell or receptacle as to provide a relatively small storage space beneath said inner unit; and so that the removable inner unit may be carried in upright position in the outer shell.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts of the bag or case as hereinafter more fully described by way of illustration or example with reference to the accompanying drawing, whereon:

Fig. 1 is a front view partly broken away and shown in section with the handbag closed;

Fig. 2 is an end view, also partly broken away and sectioned, and with the handbag partly closed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the outer shell or receptacle opened;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View showing the inner unit or member in use upon a supporting table; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view showing the handle for the inner member.

Referring to the drawing, the outer shell or receptacle is made in the form of a box-like structure comprising .a bottom l0, end walls 35 I2, a back wall I3, a lower fixed front wall l4,

and an upper hinged front wall |5, the lower edge of the latter being hinged to the upper edge of the fixed wall l4. A cover I6 is hinged along one edge to the upper edge of the back wall I3 40 and has a hinged front flap provided with suitable lock or catch members l8 for engagement with suitable locks or spring catches I9 on the outer face of the hinged front wall I5. The cover I6 is also provided with a suitable handle 45 20 and on the internal faces of the end walls H, l2, ledges 2| are provided for the support of the inner member 22, these ledges 2| being level with the upper edge of the fixed front wall M of the outer shell.

The inner member 22 is adapted to fit snugly into the upper part of the outer shell, .and comprises a box-like structure with an open front and with vertical and horizontal partition walls 23 to serve as guides for a group of drawers 24 having handles 3| and certain of these drawers may be divided up by internal partition walls 25 for the more convenient and effective accommodation of small toilet articles. Upon the top of the inner member 22 a collapsible handle 26 is provided, the enlarged ends 21 of this handle 26 being adapted to engage against rigid handleretaining loops 28 when the handle is in use as shown in the full lines in the detail view Fig. 5, where the dotted lines indicate the position of the handle when the inner member 22 is accommodated within the closed outer shell.

The vertical and horizontal walls of the outer and inner members and the cover I6 and hinged part l5 may all be formed of light sheet metal, or of metallic frames having coverings or facings of leather, fabric, or other suitable or convenient combinations or imitation of these materials.

The drawers 24 in the inner member 22 provide the main storage space and are adapted to accommodate articles of clothing, toilet articles, and other small personal effects, while the storage space 29, Figs. 1 and 2, in the outer case beneath the inner member 22, is adapted to accommodate shoes and other like articles.

This improved handbag or case is particularly adapted for ladies use, the drawers 24 being adapted for the convenient accommodation of ladies garments, and the inner member 22 being particularly adapted for use when placed upon a hotel dresser as indicated by the dotted lines at 3|] in Fig. 4, so that when traveling a lady may have all necessary garments, toilet articles, etc., readily accessible without the inconvenience of transferring same from her traveling luggage to the storage spaces ordinarily provided in hotel room furniture.

It will be seen that the inner part 22 may be very conveniently carried around independently of the outer containing shell, and it will also be noted that the inner member may also be used without removal from the outer shell, since the folding part l5 permits access to the drawers 24, while the unit 22 is still accommodated upon the supporting ledges 2| in the outer shell. To give access to the storage space in the outer shell beneath the member 22 it is only necessary to raise the latter which thus serves as a lid or cover for such storage space. When the inner member is enclosed within the outer shell-as shown at Fig. 1-the hinged part l5 engages closely against the fronts of the drawers 24 while the hinged cover l6 engages closely over the collapsed handle 26 of the inner unit and holds the latter firmly upon its supporting ledges 2|.

Although the drawing and the above specification disclose the best mode in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, I desire to be in no way limited to the details of such disclosure, for in the further practical application of my invention many changes in the form and proportions may be made as circumstances require or experience suggests without departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

An overnight handbag or case having a boxlike inner unit comprising rigid top, bottom and back and end walls, partition walls in the said unit, sliding drawers fitted between said partition 15 Walls and forming a complete closed structure,

and a collapsible handle on the top of said unit, and an outer rigid shell for the complete accommodation and concealment of the said unit comprising back and end walls for closely engaging the back and end Walls of the said unit, ledges in the said shell for supporting the inner unit to define a storage space in the shell beneath said unit, a front member hinged to the said shell at the top of said storage space and adapted to close against the front of the drawers in said unit, a hinged cover on the shell, means for attaching said cover to said hinged member to enclose and retain the inner unit in position on said ledges, and a handle on the upper face of said cover.

JOHN JAY MURPHY. 

